Motorwell valve



Dec. 5, 1961 oGARA MoToRwELL 4VALVE Filed March 19, 1959 Sal IN V EN TOR.

United States l 3,011,468 t MOTORWELLVALVE l Larry OGara, 'Costa Mesa,A Calif., assigner to ILS. Fiberglass Products, Inc., Paramount, Calif., a, corporation of California s Y Filed Mar. 19, 1959, Ser'JNo. 800,486

4 Claims. (Cl. 114-185) t section'absent-atop or cover. The bottom oryiioorgof l the well is typically belowthe waterline; One or more drain holes are usuallyy providedy through the transom communicating with the motor well in order to permit water which accumulates therein to be'drained out.V When the boat is anchored,V especially 'in va relativelybusy harbor, there is a substantial buleting and splashing of the water surrounding the boat. Water thus has a tendency to enter the well through the drain hole or holes normally provided, as these holes are locatedjustrabove the waterline. .t y j.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide aV one wayY valve vwhichwhile 4 peri-hittingA water `to escape from thewellthrough .the drain hole will notpermit water to enter therethrough. t i

Another object A o f, the present Ainvention is provide T1.;

a novel, one way valve to be inserted within the drain hole in the transom of an outboard motoi boat.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a one way valve of the character described which may be mounted in the transom of the boat without permanently defacing any part of the transom.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description only, and is not intended as a denition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of one outboard motor boat showing a Valve in accordance with the present invention mounted in the transom drain hole;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view, in perspective, of a valve in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of this invention; Y Y

FIGURE 3 is a view partly in section showing how the valve of FIGURE 2 appears when mounted in the drain hole;

FIGURE 4 is a greatly enlarged end'vie'w of the valve of FIGURE 2; and Y FIGURE 5 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 3 showing an alternative form of a valve in accordance with the present invention.

Referring, now to the drawing and more particularly to FIGURE l there is shown an outboard motor boat 10 including a cockpit 11. To the rear of the cockpit is the motorwell 12 which includes -a rear wall or transom 13.

Mounted at the center of the transom is an Voutboard Aescape of the water.

.oft-ransom 13.= f

3,011,468 l `Patented 1)ee.k`5, 1961 Tice Ybottom edge.- Two holes 16 extending through the vvalve are provided near the opposite sides and upper edge thereof. VA circular protrusion 20 in the front surface 21 of thervalve is provided in order to lend greater rigidity to the valve. vA circularopening 22sin the back surface 23 coincident with the protrusion 20 is also provided for a like purpose, and to more easily allow rwater entrapped within `the motorwell to yforce the valve open and allow Serrations at 25and Y26 are provided on, either sideof the opening 22 as may best be seen in FIGURE 2. The VserrationvsV providea series of circular sealing edgesgwith the smallest diameter serravtion being slightly greater than the diameter of the drain hole. VvThese serrations serve to insure arbetter seal between the surface 2,3 of the valve-against the rear Wall Referring now toFIGURE `El there is shown aside elevation of valve 15 as it-wouldappear when attached -to the transom over the drain hole.y The fragmentary Across-section-ofthe jboat shows it in its normal position, namely somewhat tilted, ywith the rear of thel boat vbeing further in the water than .the bow. Inthis view the valve .is shown-,to-be attached by means of ,Wood screws;30

which extendk through the holes 16 and into theV transom 13 which is usually 'made of Vfiberglass formed upon .ply-

wood. f Y

"Water 31 which nay collect in the well 12 thus is free to exit through the drainhole or holes in the transom as the weight of the water will force the valve 15 to swing open about the screws 30 as a fulcrum. The valve 15 will thus assume the position as indicated bythe phantom lines in FIGURE 3. Water seeking admittance to the motorwell through the drain hole will be shut out since the ,water attempting to enter the hole will force the valve closed. Y f

In FIGURE 5 there is shown an alternative embodiment of a valve in accordance with the present invention. The valve of FIGURE 5 consists of two separate parts, namely insert 31 and the valve proper 32. This valve is constructed in two parts in order to permit installation on a boat without the necessity of having any screws piercing the transom as is required with the hereinabove described embodiment. The insert 3-1 is constructed of rubber or some other resilient water proof material and includes a ange section 33 and an extending nipple section 34. The flange sections may have a front elevation of any desired slope, including that of valve 15. The nipple 34 has an outside diameter which is slightly larger than the inside diameter of the drain hole. Serrations are provided at 35 over the entire length of the nipple 34 in order to secure the insert 31 within the hole. The valve proper 32 may be similar to valve 15 except that the serrations at 25 and 26 can be omitted. A pair of rivets 35 attach the valve 32 to the ange 33. In order to install a valve according to this embodiment intoan existing drain hole, the nipple 34 ,is forced into the drain hole until the ange abuts the transom. The operationrin all respects,'of this valve is similar to that explained hereinabove in connection with the Valve of FIGURES 2, 3, and 4. l,

There has thus been described a new and improved l(jme way valve for the drain hole of an outboard motor oat.

What is claimed is: 1..A motorwell valve for boat-s having a motorwell and water line at said transom, said valve comprising: a drain lseenv in FIGURE? hole insert including a cylindrical nipple having a series of serrations on the outer surface thereof, the outer diameter of said serrations being substantially equal to but greater than the diameter of said drain hole, a ange at one end of said nipple, and a valve section including a sheet of elastomeric material affixed to said flange above said opening through said nipple.

2. A motorwell valve for boats having a motorwell and a transom at the after end thereof and a drain hole opening through said transom proximate to and above the water line at said transom, said valve comprising: a drain hole insert including a cylindrical nipple having a series of serrations on the outer surface thereof, the outer diameter of said serrations being substantially equal to but greater than the diameter of said drain hole; a ilange at one end of said nipple, said insert being formed of elastomeric material; and a valve section including a sheet of elastomeric material aixed to said flange above said opening through said nipple.

3. A motorwell valve for boats having a motorwell and a transom at the after end thereof and a drain hole opening through said transom proximate to and above the Water line at said transom, said valve comprising: a drain hole insert including a cylindrical nipple having a series of serrations on the outer surface thereof, the outer diameter of said serrations being substantially equal to but greater than the diameter of said drain hole; a flange at one end of said nipple, said insert being formed of elastomeric material; and a valve section including a sheet of elastomeric material of generally rectangular conliguration having a concentric series of circular serrations with an outside diameter greater than the diameter of the opening through said nipple for sealing contact with said ange, said valve section being afxed to said flange above said opening through said nipple.

4. In combination with a motorboat, means for permitting the continual egress of water from the hull while preventing the ingress of water thereto comprising: a transom forming the after e'nd of said hull, said transom being normally inclined rearwardly at an acute angle with the water line, said transom defining a drain hole therethrough proximate to and above the normal Water line of said hull; a sheet of elastomeric material of generally rectangular configuration substantially greater than the configuration of said drain hole, a plurality of circular concentric serrations formed on one surface of said sheet, said circular protrusions being greater in diameter than the diameter of said drain hole, said sheet defining an indentation in said one face within the diameter of said innermost serration and a protrusion at the opposite face thereof so constructed and arranged that said serrations -and protrusion rigidify said sheet; fastening means atlixing said sheet tol said transom at the outer surface thereof along a line proximate to and above said drain hole, said fastening means normally urging said sheet into contact with the exterior surface of said transom whereby said serrations are in contact with said transom to form a series of concentric seals surrounding said drain hole; said sheet being suiiiciently resilient to bend out- `wardly along said fastening line under the Weight of Water Apassing through said drain hole from the interior surface of said transom.

References Cited in the file of this patent ,t UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,914,600 Hewitt .lune 20, 1933 2,378,613 Young June 19, 1945 2,655,121 l Cuneo oct. 13, 1953 2,884,888 Pujol May 5, 1959 -1 un, m 

